The Spirit of Adventure

This weekend our Troop set out again looking for adventure. It really didn’t dawn on me till we were an hour into the cave, but the cave represented that spirit of adventure that seems to define our Troop. Stepping outside of our comfort zone, pushing the limits of what we think we can’t do, testing skills, learning new ones, pushing the boundaries of our leadership know how and of course having fun.
We camped out in the middle of now where just outside of Carson, Washington. A place that we as a Troop rarely venture. Friday night we camped at a horse camp. A horse camp in that there is places that you can tie up your horse, other than that.. it was a camp site, like any other. Saturday morning we got up, packed, and started backpacking our way down to Lava Caves. It was only a 2.3 mile hike, but it was through some of the most beautiful forest I have hiked though.
We arrived at the camp site and things set up. There was a threat of rain, so that motivated the boys to get camp set, that and the fact that they really wanted to get into the cave.
Helmets went on, head lamps checked and we entered the edge of the cave entrance. I took a look around at the Scouts as they entered the cave. Some of th boys had a look of uncertainty while others were ready to jump right in. Once we got to the point were the world turned black I could see the more timid of the Scouts staying real close to the older guys.
We got to one area in the cave where the guys decided to get everyone close and turn out all the lights. The spirit of adventure had called. All of the lights went out and we sat in pitch darkness, no wind, no birds, no rain, nothing. Dark and quiet. Then a nervious request to turn the lights back on.
We turned them on and continued into the depths of the Lava cave. A cave that was carved out by the flow of hot lava thousands of years ago. Untouched by anything other than an occasional cave explorer. By the time we hit our next break in a big room of the cave, the youngster that asked for the lights to be turned on now led the crowd to get the lights off again. We stood again in the dark and quiet, this time a few of the guys chimed in with how cool it was to be in a cave on a camp out. While they all agreed that they would not want to camp in the cave, it was cool to be in there.
This morning during our Scouts own time before we headed home, we talked about the power of nature. From the 2.3 mile hike through gorgeous forest to time spent in a cave carved out by the hot mass of lava. It is that same power in the Spirit of Adventure that drives us to do cool stuff, seek out adventure and push our limits. It is that Spirit that separates our Scouts from their classmates. It is that spirit that has defined our Troop and keeps them coming back for more and sharing their adventures with friends that come out and join us. It is the spirit that makes us a Troop that will be around for a long time always looking for adventure.
When our Troop first started they made up their troop song or cheer, they have since changed it to a real cool cheer, but the first cheer of our Troop had in it a line that set us on a course of adventure. “We’re the Scouts of 664 and this is our Troop yell… we’re looking for adventure, we’re on the Eagle trail…”
The Spirit of Adventure.. alive and well.

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